Classic pen and paper style, good for gathering a quick batch of responses.
Interviews -
More in-depth conversations to understand employee experience or on What areas your company can improve so that you can offer a better workplace to your employees.
Online Surveys -
Easy to distribute and analyse, perfect for the tech-savvy company.
Online surveys on Wrenly
What's in the Exit Survey?
It's a mix of two things:
Open Ended Questions:
These questions encourage employees to tell their story. Think "Why did you decide to leave?" or "What could we have done differently to keep you?"
Open ended questions on Wrenly
Closed Ended Questions:
Here, it's all about picking a response that fits.
On a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree), how satisfied are you with your current work-life balance?
Do you feel you have enough time to complete your work tasks without sacrificing personal time? (Yes/No)
Close ended questions on Wrenly
Why Should You Care About Exit Surveys?
Because exit surveys can be a game-changer for your company!
Here's how:
Employee Retention: By understanding why people leave, you can make changes to keep your top talent happy and on board.
Workplace Culture: Exit surveys can expose cracks in your company culture, so you can fix them and create a happier, more productive environment.
Training Time: Maybe there are skill gaps you weren't aware of. Exit surveys can help you identify areas where your training programs need an upgrade.
Confidentiality Matters here in Exit Surveys
For employees to be honest and answer truthfully, you gotta guarantee their responses are confidential.
No one wants to badmouth the company and risk future job prospects, right? So keep it private and they'll be more likely to spill the tea.
So there you have it, the exit survey in a nutshell.
By taking the time to understand why employees are leaving, you can make your company a better place for everyone.
Interesting, huh?
Okay so now that we have an understanding about Exit surveys, let’s directly move on to the topic on what Exit Survey Questions you can ask to your employees. 🤩
50+ Exit Survey Questions you can ask to your employees
Here's a list of 50 questions categorised by theme to get you started (pick and adapt what works for you):
A. Reasons for Leaving (9 Questions)
(Multiple Choice) What was the primary factor in your decision to leave our company? (New job offer, Lack of growth opportunities, Compensation and benefits, Work-life balance, Company culture, Other (please specify))
(Open Ended) Were there specific aspects of your role, responsibilities, team, or the company culture that influenced your decision to leave?
(Open Ended) If there was one thing we could have done to convince you to stay, what would it be?
(Open Ended) Considering your new position (if applicable), what aspects are you most excited about?
(Optional, Open Ended) In the future, would you consider returning to our company under certain circumstances? If so, what would those circumstances be?
(Multiple Choice) How likely are you to recommend our company as a great place to work to your network? (Very Likely, Somewhat Likely, Neutral, Somewhat Unlikely, Very Unlikely)
(Open Ended) If you could give one piece of advice to someone considering a position at our company, what would it be?
(Optional, Open Ended) Is there anything else you'd like to share about your reasons for leaving that you haven't already mentioned?
(Open Ended) Did you feel comfortable discussing your decision to leave with your manager? Why or why not?
(Open Ended) Looking back, were there any missed opportunities we could have addressed to retain you?
B. Job Satisfaction: Digging Deeper (10 Questions)
(Multiple Choice) How satisfied were you with your overall workload and responsibilities? (Very Satisfied, Somewhat Satisfied, Neutral, Somewhat Dissatisfied, Very Dissatisfied)
(Open Ended) What did you find most challenging about your specific role or day-to-day tasks?
(Open Ended) What did you enjoy most about your role at our company?
(Multiple Choice) To what extent did you feel you had the resources and support necessary to succeed in your role? (Fully Equipped, Somewhat Equipped, Neutral, Somewhat Unequipped, Not Equipped at All)
(Open Ended) Did you feel your skills and talents were well-utilised in your position? Why or why not?
(Multiple Choice) How satisfied were you with the level of autonomy you had in your role? (Very Satisfied, Somewhat Satisfied, Neutral, Somewhat Dissatisfied, Very Dissatisfied)
(Multiple Choice) How satisfied were you with the level of recognition and appreciation you received for your work? (Very Satisfied, Somewhat Satisfied, Neutral, Somewhat Dissatisfied, Very Dissatisfied)
(Open Ended) In what ways could we improve how we recognize and appreciate employee contributions?
(Open Ended) Thinking back on your time here, is there a specific project, accomplishment, or contribution you're most proud of?
(Open Ended) Can you elaborate on what aspects of the company culture you found most (or least) positive?
(Multiple Choice) How would you rate your relationship with your manager? (Excellent, Good, Neutral, Fair, Poor)
(Open Ended) What did you appreciate most about your manager's leadership style?
(Open Ended) In what ways could your manager have been more supportive in your role?
(Multiple Choice) How effectively did you feel information was communicated within your team or department? (Very Effectively, Somewhat Effectively, Neutral, Somewhat Ineffectively, Very Ineffectively)
(Open Ended) How could we improve communication and collaboration across the company?
(Multiple Choice) To what extent did you feel comfortable voicing your opinions and concerns to your manager or leadership? (Very Comfortable, Somewhat Comfortable, Neutral, Somewhat Uncomfortable, Very Uncomfortable)
(Open Ended) Did you feel there were opportunities for open and honest discussions about challenges or areas for improvement?
(Open Ended) How would you describe the level of teamwork and collaboration within your team or department?
(Multiple Choice) Did you feel you had a strong sense of belonging and community within the company? (Strongly Agree, Somewhat Agree, Neutral, Somewhat Disagree, Strongly Disagree)
(Open Ended) What could we do to foster a stronger sense of community and belonging among employees?
(Multiple Choice) How satisfied were you with the company's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I)? (Very Satisfied, Somewhat Satisfied, Neutral, Somewhat Dissatisfied, Very Dissatisfied)
(Open Ended) In your opinion, how can we improve our D&I initiatives or programs?
(Multiple Choice) Did you feel comfortable reporting any issues of discrimination or harassment during your time at the company? (Yes, No, Unsure)
Try Wrenly for Free!
Test out every feature for two weeks, no credit card needed. You also get a free AI health score during your trial. What are you waiting for?
(Multiple Choice) Did you feel you were able to maintain a healthy work-life balance while working here? (Always in Sync, Sometimes Tilting, Mostly Off-Balance)
(Open Ended) What specific aspects of the work environment made it challenging to achieve work-life balance?
(Multiple Choice) How satisfied were you with the company's policies and programs around work-life balance (e.g., flexible work arrangements, paid time off)? (Very Satisfied, Somewhat Satisfied, Neutral, Somewhat Dissatisfied, Very Dissatisfied)
(Open Ended) What suggestions do you have for helping employees achieve a better work-life balance?
(Open Ended) Did you feel comfortable taking paid time off without feeling pressured to be available? Why or why not?
E. Professional Development (5 Questions)
(Multiple Choice) How satisfied were you with the company's professional development opportunities (e.g., training programs, conferences)? (Very Satisfied, Somewhat Satisfied, Neutral, Somewhat Dissatisfied, Very Dissatisfied)
(Open Ended) Did you feel the professional development opportunities offered were relevant to your role and career goals?
(Open Ended) What types of professional development opportunities would you have found most beneficial?
(Multiple Choice) Did you feel encouraged to participate in professional development opportunities? (Strongly Encouraged, Somewhat Encouraged, Neutral, Somewhat Discouraged, Strongly Discouraged)
(Open Ended) In what ways could we better support employee professional development goals?
F. Overall Experience (5 Questions)
(Open Ended) Looking back on your experience at our company, what are some things we did well?
(Open Ended) What are some areas where we could improve as a company?
(Multiple Choice) Would you recommend working at our company to a friend or colleague? (Yes, No, Unsure)
(Open Ended) Is there anything else you would like to share about your experience at our company?
(Optional, Open Ended) Is there anything we can do to improve this exit survey?
Bonus Questions (Consider including these if relevant to your company)
For remote workers: How would you rate the company's support for remote work?
For employees with long tenures: What made you stay with the company for as long as you did?
For employees exiting due to retirement: Do you have any advice for new hires at our company?
Remember: This is a comprehensive list, and you may not need all 50 questions. Choose the ones most relevant to your company (ideally 20)and customise them as needed. By using a variety of question types and focusing on key areas, you can gain valuable insights to improve your work environment and retain top talent.
Okay, so now you know what to ask your employees. But how?
Keep reading..
How to Conduct Exit Surveys on Your Employees Using Wrenly?
Listening to your team is great, but taking action on what they tell you is even better. That's where a tool like Wrenly comes in super handy.
Let me show you how,
Here’s the steps on how you can use Wrenly to conduct your Exit Survey questions.
Step 1. Log in to Wrenly and navigate to the Surveys section.
This is where you'll create and manage your employee surveys.
Wrenly survey board
Step 2: Click the "Create New Survey" button.
This will open a new window for building your exit survey.
Create New Survey on Wrenly
Step 3: Craft your survey questions.
Wrenly offers various question types (multiple choice, open ended, etc.) to gather the specific feedback you need.
New question format on Wrenly
Step 4: Customise your answer options.
Tailor the answer choices for each question to provide clear response options for your employees.
Answer Customisation on Wrenly
Step 5: Select your target audience.
Specify which employees will receive the exit survey (e.g., all departing employees within the last month).
Select target audience on wrenly
Step 6:Build your employee profile.
You can set up employee profiles and specify to which employees you want to send your exit surveys to. You can choose multiple employees.
select the employee who is leaving
Step 7: Schedule your survey delivery.
Choose the date and time you want the exit survey to be sent to your target employees.
Step 8: Finalise and send your survey.
Once you're satisfied with the survey content and timing, send it directly to your chosen employees through Wrenly.
Finalise and send your survey to your selected employee
Simple. Isn’t it?
I know.
But if you’re still confused. Here’s a quick 1 min video on how to create a survey using Wrenly.
But you might be wondering, why to even incorporate Wrenly for your Exit Surveys right?
So here are some common challenges people face and here’s how a tool like Wrenly can come as a saviour.
What are the Challenges you might face with Exit Survey Questions?
Okay, so now you know those exit surveys, right?
All those valuable insights into why employees leave and how to improve your company culture. ♂️
But getting those insights can be tricky. Isn’t it? I know.
Here's a breakdown of these challenges and how Wrenly, an employee engagement platform with AI-powered features, can help you overcome them:
Many employees simply don't complete surveys, leading to a lack of data.
Wrenly Solution:
Seamless Integration: Integrate Wrenly with existing communication platforms (Slack, Teams) for easy access during offboarding.
Targeted Reminders: Schedule automated reminders to nudge employees to complete the survey.
Mobile-Friendly Design: Offer a mobile-friendly format for on-the-go participation.
Challenge 2: Dishonest Feedback
Employees may hesitate to provide honest feedback due to fear of retaliation or anonymity concerns.
Wrenly Solution:
Guaranteed Anonymity: Wrenly ensures anonymity by assigning animal aliases to feedback.
Open-Ended Questions: Use open-ended questions alongside multiple-choice options to encourage elaboration. Wrenly's AI analyses text data to identify key themes.
Focus on Improvement: Frame questions to emphasise a desire to improve the workplace for future employees.
Challenge 3: Limited Time and Attention
The offboarding process is busy, leaving little time for lengthy surveys.
Wrenly Solution:
Short & Engaging Surveys:Create concise surveys using Wrenly's user-friendly interface (10-15 minutes).
Micro-Surveys: Utilise micro-surveys to collect focused feedback at different offboarding stages.
Bite-Sized Questions: Break down complex topics into smaller, easier-to-answer questions.
By overcoming these challenges with Wrenly, you can collect valuable exit survey data and make meaningful improvements to your company culture and employee experience.
Now that you know about Exit Survey questions and how an easy tool can help, let's see how these questions can help you make a better team.
Exit surveys might seem like a formality, but they're a goldmine of intel.
Think of them as an insider's perspective on your company, revealing why employees leave.
Here's what you get:
The Real Reason Why They Left
"Better opportunity" is a common exit line, but surveys dig deeper.
Was it a lack of growth, feeling undervalued, or a pressure cooker work environment?
These are red flags highlighting areas for improvement in your company culture or management.
Taking Your Company's Temperature
Exit surveys gauge overall employee satisfaction with daily tasks, work-life balance, and company culture.
They expose both strengths (like a great team) and weaknesses (communication gaps).
Department Issues
Go beyond the company-wide view.
These surveys allow you to focus on specific teams, gathering targeted feedback on their unique experiences.
This helps pinpoint departmental issues, like a lack of training in marketing or unclear sales expectations.
With this let me help you with how you can craft effective survey questions to ask your employees.
How to Craft Effective Exit Survey Questions to ask your employees?
Okay let’s be real! Nobody wants a novel-length survey on their way out.
Here's how to write quick, clear questions that get the good stuff and encourage honest feedback:
Short & Sweet: Focus on What Matters
Aim for 10-20 questions that target key areas of the employee experience.
Example: Instead of "How was your time here?", ask "(Multiple Choice) How satisfied were you with your workload?" (Very Satisfied, Somewhat Satisfied, Neutral, etc.)
Question Arsenal: Mix it Up
Use a variety of question types to gather both broad and detailed information:
Multiple Choice: Easy data collection for employee sentiment on key topics. Think of them as quick answer options.
Open Ended: Find hidden issues with questions like "What was most challenging about your role?"
Example:some text
Multiple Choice: "To what extent did you feel valued?" (Highly Valued, Somewhat Valued, etc.)
Open Ended: "What aspects of your role or culture made you feel undervalued?"
Confidentiality is Key: Fort Knox Level Security
Employees need to feel safe giving honest feedback. Emphasise that all responses are confidential.
This builds trust and encourages them to be open and truthful, giving you the most valuable information possible.
Imagine an employee hesitant to mention a lack of growth opportunities if they fear it might impact a reference.
By guaranteeing confidentiality, you get a clearer picture of their experience.
By following these tips, you can craft exit surveys that are informative, efficient, and encourage honest feedback. Remember, this is a treasure trove of information waiting to be tapped.
Get out there and start digging!
Finally - A goodbye with a quiz
Alright readers buckle up! We've been talking all about questions this whole time, so how about we end with a little quiz, just for fun?
We all know exit surveys are awesome, but are you sure you're getting the best info out of them?
Let's put your exit survey knowledge to the test! Don't worry, it's a breeze, like a quick chat with a friend. ✌️
1. Exit surveys are basically a company saying:
a) "Don't let the door hit you on the way out!" (Nope, not a good look!)
b) "Thanks for the memories! How can we improve for the next crew?" (**Correct!** That's the winner!)
c) "Free coffee for everyone who fills this out!" (Tempting, but not quite the goal.)
2. What's the best way to get honest feedback in an exit survey?
a) Promise employees a raise if they answer nicely. (Yeah, that'll backfire!)
b) Guarantee their responses are confidential, like Fort Knox with a bigger moat. (**Correct!** Honesty is key.)
c) Make them answer trick questions to see if they're paying attention. (More like a recipe for confusion!)
3. Short and sweet exit surveys are your friend. Aim for:
a) A novel-length questionnaire that'll take all day. (Snoozefest alert!)
b) 10-20 quick questions that target key areas. (**Correct!** That's the sweet spot!)
c) A multiple-choice pop quiz on company trivia. (Fun, but not exactly insightful.)
Scored a perfect 3? You're an exit survey master!
Alrighty!
Now that you've got everything ready, it's time to write those questions and discover all the valuable information hidden in employee feedback.
Think of exit surveys like a choose-your-own-adventure for your company culture.
Ask the right questions, and you'll make a workplace where people really want to stay, instead of just leaving quickly!!
P.S. Feeling overwhelmed? Don't worry, as Wrenly can help make it easier to do the exit survey and learn even more from what your employees say.
Wrenly is like your exit survey ally, offering features like:
Seamless Integration:You can easily connect Wrenly with the apps you already use (like Slack or Microsoft Teams) so that employees can do the survey when they're leaving without any trouble.
Targeted Reminders: No more chasing for responses. Wrenly can send automated nudges to remind employees to fill out the survey.
Mobile-Friendly Design: Make it convenient for everyone! Wrenly surveys are optimised for mobile devices, so employees can participate on-the-go.
But that's not all! Wrenly also tackles common exit survey challenges:
Low Response Rates: Wrenly's features boost participation and make it easier for employees to get involved.
Honest Answers: With Wrenly, your feedback stays secret, and it asks questions in different ways to help you tell the truth without worrying.
Limited Time and Attention: Keep it short and sweet! Wrenly helps you design concise surveys that take just 10-15 minutes to complete.
With Wrenly, you can:
Uncover hidden patterns and trends in your exit survey data.
Gain a deeper understanding of why employees leave.
Target your efforts to improve the areas that matter most.
Create a work environment where everyone feels valued and engaged.
Ready to take your exit surveys to the next level? Check out Wrenly today!
Now that you're prepped with the exit survey knowledge and Wrenly as your ally, get out there and start digging for those golden insights!
Ali is a co-founder of Wrenly known for his innovative thinking and exceptional drive to create value for every Wrenly customer. His dedication, mentorship, and leadership skills have not only shaped various careers but have also made him an invaluable asset to the Wrenly team.
Here’s how you can get employee engagement insights, on autopilot:
🔍 Check out this sample report (built with AI) to see how people team leaders are automating their insights. 🔍
💪 Request a free culture evaluation report (consultants usually charge $20-30K for this but we’re doing it for $0). Use it to build your company health score, and understand your culture's strengths, weaknesses and how this influences your bottom line…
Measure engagement, strengthen bonds & make smarter changes.
